By Jim Fagan
Noosa Chorale promises to celebrate its 30th anniversary year with a pearl of a performance later this month at The J.
Since the end of January, 64 singers have been rehearsing Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah whose popularity since it was first performed in 1848 is considered to rival that of Handel’s Messiah.
“We wanted something special to celebrate our achievement of thirty years of bringing high-quality and much-loved music to Noosa audiences,” Chorale president Donald Grant told Noosa Today.
“Elijah is a thrill to sing and experience with marvellously inspiring, lyrical and dramatic choruses. We will be accompanied by a 26-piece orchestra with dramatic bass and percussion.
“We are also fortunate in having four outstanding soloists, three of whom have sung with us before. Chorale supporters will particularly remember soprano Judit Molnar who in recent years has been one of our most popular guest soloists and featured when we performed the Verdi Requiem at the Leisure Centre to celebrate our 25th anniversary.”
He said, “Baritone Leon Warnock sang with us last year when we performed Magnificat at the J. He is a highly experienced singer and has sung chorus and solo roles with Opera Australia, Victorian Opera and Opera Queensland.
“Tenor Sebastian Maclaine also sang in Magnificat. He is widely experienced and has appeared with the popular Australian touring and recording group, The Ten Tenors.
“Alto Gabrielle Deschamps who is appearing with us for the first time studied singing at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, completing both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music Education.
“She has previously been a soloist with Kim Kirkman who is our guest conductor for Elijah as he was last year with Magnificat.”
Donald said it has been seventeen years since the Chorale last presented Elijah. “Reviewer Marguerite Webber in Noosa News described it then ‘as the stand-out musical event of the year.’
“Some of our members recall singing it when it was last presented back in 2007 but for many of us this is a new and exciting experience. It is a very fitting oratorio to celebrate our 30th anniversary as Noosa Chorale.”
Mendelssohn’s Elijah
Friday 24 May at 7pm and Saturday 25 May at 2pm
Tickets $45, The J Theatre: thej.com.au
Phone 07 5329 6560
